Sports

Birch Ridge Golf Report: Junior golfers pick up game quickly

My favorite part of every golf year is when school gets out for summer and the kids are showing up in numbers on the driving… Continue reading

  • Jun 2, 2016
  • By Zac Cowan
Soldotna batter Cody Quelland takes a strike against Sitka pitcher Vaughn Blankenship in a state tournament quarterfinal Thursday at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

SoHi baseball starts fast at state tourney, fades in loss to Sitka

Thursday's opening game at the state high school baseball tournament featured two teams trending in opposite directions. The Soldotna Stars started hot but fizzled out… Continue reading

Soldotna batter Cody Quelland takes a strike against Sitka pitcher Vaughn Blankenship in a state tournament quarterfinal Thursday at Mulcahy Field in Anchorage.

Bird Homestead golf column

The weather can’t get any better than this. It has been perfect golf weather, and Bird Homestead golf course has been coming along nicely. Larry… Continue reading

  • Jun 1, 2016
  • By Kelsey Slough
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty winds up for the pitch Wednesday against Kenai Central at the Kenai Little League Fields.

Stars head to state baseball tourney with confidence

The Soldotna baseball team has just two appearances at state, going two-and-out each time. Sitka, meanwhile, has four state championships since the tournament started in… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty winds up for the pitch Wednesday against Kenai Central at the Kenai Little League Fields.

Taylor Ostrander takes 11th in Division III 3,000-meter steeplechase

Kenai Central graduate Taylor Ostrander completed her college career by finishing 11th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships… Continue reading

  • May 30, 2016
  • By Staff Report
Photo provided by Black Hills State University Black Hills State University freshman and 2015 Kenai Central graduate Jonah Theisen celebrates winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships on Friday in Bradenton, Florida.

Kenai Central graduate Theisen wins DII title in steeplechase

2015 Kenai Central graduate Jonah Theisen used a withering last-lap kick to win the 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday at the NCAA Division II Track and Field… Continue reading

  • May 28, 2016
  • By Staff Report
Photo provided by Black Hills State University Black Hills State University freshman and 2015 Kenai Central graduate Jonah Theisen celebrates winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships on Friday in Bradenton, Florida.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Daisy Nelson (538) races down the finishing stretch of the 4A girls 400-meter dash Saturday at the state track and field championships at Dimond Alumni Field in Anchorage.

Nelson, Jackman, Johnson, Kratz, Leaf win state track titles

The Kenai Peninsula showed up in droves to take on the state’s fastest, strongest and most agile athletes Friday and Saturday at the state track… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Daisy Nelson (538) races down the finishing stretch of the 4A girls 400-meter dash Saturday at the state track and field championships at Dimond Alumni Field in Anchorage.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Connor Jones pitches to Soldotna on Saturday in the second-place game of the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

Southcentral baseball Saturday: Stars top Kardinals for second place and state berth

Soldotna defeated Kenai Central 17-2 in five innings Saturday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai to take second place and the final state berth… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Connor Jones pitches to Soldotna on Saturday in the second-place game of the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) gets a reassuring hug from teammate Rykker Riddall after Saturday's state soccer championship final against South Anchorage.

South boys top Kenai in state soccer final

The South Anchorage boys proved they were the better team Saturday evening with a 3-1 victory over Kenai Central in the state soccer championship final,… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) gets a reassuring hug from teammate Rykker Riddall after Saturday's state soccer championship final against South Anchorage.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central freshman Damien Redder (13) heads the ball with Service sophomore Dorian Cornichuck in Friday's state soccer semifinal contest at Service High School.

Friday state soccer: Kenai boys top Service to make state final

Gridlocked at zero and neither team giving an inch, something had to decide who gets to play in the 2016 boys state soccer championship.Ultimately, the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central freshman Damien Redder (13) heads the ball with Service sophomore Dorian Cornichuck in Friday's state soccer semifinal contest at Service High School.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Wasilla celebrates winning its third straight Southcentral Conference tournament title after topping Soldotna 5-0 on Friday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

Friday Southcentral baseball: Warriors top Stars for crown

Co-division MVPs before the game. Harnessers of Soldotna’s bats and vaunted running attack during the game. Center of the celebratory mob after the game.Wasilla senior… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Wasilla celebrates winning its third straight Southcentral Conference tournament title after topping Soldotna 5-0 on Friday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
Kenai Central midfielder Kevin Ramos (center) sends the ball downfield in Friday's state soccer semifinal against Service at Service High School.

Kenai boys soccer takes Peninsula 1st state final berth

Gridlocked at zero and neither team giving an inch, something had to decide who gets to play in the 2016 boys state soccer championship. Ultimately,… Continue reading

Kenai Central midfielder Kevin Ramos (center) sends the ball downfield in Friday's state soccer semifinal against Service at Service High School.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai's Sam Combs is tagged out trying to steal third base in the second inning by Colony's Zachary Satterly on Thursday at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

Wasilla, Soldotna to clash for Southcentral baseball crown

The top two seeds in the Southcentral Conference tournament will clash for the title at 7 p.m. tonight at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai's Sam Combs is tagged out trying to steal third base in the second inning by Colony's Zachary Satterly on Thursday at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

Area athletes set for state track meet

“Run fast. Jump far.” Those are the words of Kenai Central track and field coach Chris Hanson regarding the not-so-secret strategy to success at the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central goalkeeper Alli Steinbeck reaches up for a save against Colony in the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Service High School.

Service girls top Kenai at state

The Kenai Central and Service girls soccer teams waited 80 minutes to begin their state soccer tournament quarterfinal Thursday evening, but after all that, it… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central goalkeeper Alli Steinbeck reaches up for a save against Colony in the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Service High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sweeper Ethan Bott (30) keeps the ball away from West Anchorage's Cannen Burgess at the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Eagle River High School.

Kenai boys advance to semis; SoHi falls to West

One year ago, the emerging Kenai Central boys soccer team picked up the program’s inaugural state tournament victory.Thursday at Eagle River High School, the Kardinals… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sweeper Ethan Bott (30) keeps the ball away from West Anchorage's Cannen Burgess at the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Eagle River High School.

Things rolling full steam ahead at Birch Ridge

It has been decided, due to the wonderful weekend weather forecast, that I would do the column. If it looks like rain, we will have… Continue reading

  • May 27, 2016
  • By Bill Engberg

Twin City Raceway opens season Saturday, Sunday

Twin City Raceway in Kenai has its season opener for circle track racing Saturday and Sunday.On both days, the general admission gate opens at 4… Continue reading

  • May 26, 2016
  • By Staff Report

Beautiful weather? Bird Homestead golf course beckons

It has been an amazing past few days with our gorgeous weather. The course has been coming along beautifully, Larry Hamilton and his crew have… Continue reading

  • May 25, 2016
  • By Kelsey Slough
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a group of Colony defenders Saturday, May 21, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kenai boys won the Northern Lights Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over Colony.

State soccer preview: Can Kenai teams, SoHi boys, make peninsula history?

Despite the limitations of school size and lack of access to a year-round playing surface, Kenai Peninsula schools will try to keep making their presence… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a group of Colony defenders Saturday, May 21, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kenai boys won the Northern Lights Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over Colony.